The Most-Popular Foreign-Language Books Revealed By World’s Top-Ranked Library

250 years after its founding, the United States has become one of the most multilingual countries on Earth. To explore how this linguistic diversity shapes reading habits, language learning platform Babbel requested data from the world’s top-ranked lending library, The Los Angeles Public Library, revealing the most-borrowed foreign-language fiction titles by readers in the US. 

As one of the largest public library systems in the United States, with more than 30 million items borrowed in 2025, the findings not only offer a glimpse into the city’s reading habits, but provide a snapshot of foreign-language reading across the country. In one of the world’s most multicultural cities, where well over 200 languages are spoken according to recent U.S. census data, readers’ interests span a wide range of languages and genres, with a notable focus on foreign language editions of English-language classics, bilingual stories, translations of beloved children’s books, and traditional folktales.

The list is based on borrowing data from the Los Angeles Public Library system, compiled at Babbel’s request, using a combination of physical checkouts and digital loan data over the last full-year period (2025). All titles were grouped by language, with the top-performing fiction title in each category making the shortlist. Babbel’s team of linguists has provided additional context and title translations to help bring these works to life, offering insight into the prose, poetry, and everything in between. 

The research also reveals a striking trend: foreign-language reading is rapidly rising in Los Angeles, led by a sharp surge in the borrowing of Spanish-language books. As the Library’s most widely read language after English, demand for Spanish-language titles has grown dramatically, with digital loans jumping by 262%, from 35,941 in 2019/2020 to 130,168 in 2024/2025. Physical borrowing has also climbed by 21%, rising from 182,535 loans to 221,577 over the same period. 

The Most Popular Foreign-Language Books From World’s Top-Ranked Library (by language)

1. Arabic
   قضية ست الحسن: تحقيقات نوح الألفي - Qadiyat Set El Hosn (literal English translation: The Case of Set El Hosn)
   By Mirna El Mahdy (first published in Arabic in 2018)

2. Armenian
   Հեքիաթներ (literal English translation: Fairy Tales)
   By Hovhannes Tumanyan (first published in Armenian in the late 19th - early 20th century)

3. French
   Dungeon Crawler Carl (English original title: Dungeon Crawler Carl)
   By Matt Dinniman (first published in English in 2020)

4. German
   Flammengeküsst (English original title: Iron Flame)
   By Rebecca Yarros (first published in English in 2021)
   

5. Hindi
   शानदार  गैट्सबी (English original title: The Great Gatsby)
   By F. Scott Fitzgerald (first published in English in 1925)
   

6. Japanese
   Words to Make a Friend: A Story in Japanese and English (bilingual Japanese-English edition)
   Donna Jo Napoli (first published 2021)
   

7. Korean
   서랍에 저녁을 넣어 두었다 (literal English translation: I Put Dinner in the Drawer, I Put Evening in the Drawer, or I Stowed Evening in the Drawer)
   By Han Kang (first published in Korean in 2013)
   

8. Chinese
   小屁孩日记第1册双语版 / Diary of a Wimpy Kid (English‑Chinese bilingual edition)
   By Jeff Kinney (first published in English in 2007)
   

9. Persian
   Empty and Me: A Tale of Friendship and Loss (bilingual Persian-English edition)
   By Azam Mahdavi (first published 2023)
   

10. Portuguese
    Gild (English original title: Gild)
    By Raven Kennedy (first published in English in 2020)
    

11. Russian
    Просто Маса (English translated title: Just Masa)
    By Boris Akunin (first published in Russian 2020)
    

12. Spanish
    Huevos Verdes con Jamón (English original title: Green Eggs and Ham)
    Dr. Seuss (first published in English in 1960)
    

13. Taglish (mix of Tagalog and English)
    So Yabang: A Filipino retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (literal English translation: So Arrogant: A Filipino retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice)
    By Zara Irigo (first published in Taglish in 2023)
    

14. Ukrainian
    Абрикосова книгарня (literal English translation: The Apricot Bookstore)
    By Oresta Osiychuk (first published in Ukrainian in 2022)
    

15. Vietnamese
    Biển cỏ miền Tây & Hình bóng cũ (literal English translation: The Grasslands of the West  & Old Shadows)
    By Sơn Nam (first published in Vietnamese in 2009)

Esteban Touma, Linguistic and Cultural Expert and U.S.-based Spanish Teacher at Babbel says: “It’s wonderful to see such variety in the borrowing of literature across so many languages. From timeless classics, whether original or retold, to emotionally charged poetry, children’s fiction and dark fantasy novels, the voracious appetite of readers spans both genre and generation. For the Los Angeles Public Library to have these books within its collection demonstrates a remarkable commitment to Los Angeles' diverse community. Libraries have existed for thousands of years and remain vital spaces for cultural exchange and learning. In a diverse city like Los Angeles, they offer a unique opportunity to explore different cultures while staying connected to local history. For those adapting to life in the U.S., libraries provide valuable insight into their new environment, while multilingual collections help preserve heritage, allowing future generations to stay connected to their roots - even from afar.”